Why Target won’t sell Frank Ocean’s ‘Channel Orange’

Frank Ocean holds out his microphone to the crowd while performing at Coachella 2012. (Wikimedia Commons)

Why Target won’t sell Frank Ocean’s ‘Channel Orange’

Frank Ocean holds out his microphone to the crowd while performing at Coachella 2012. (Wikimedia Commons)

Frank Ocean holds out his microphone to the crowd while performing at Coachella 2012. (Wikimedia Commons)

(CNN) – Frank Ocean’s “Channel Orange” has received plenty of praise since debuting early in digital form, and hitting No. 1 on iTunes in 10 countries.

But despite the apparent demand for Ocean’s debut album, which dropped after he revealed last week that he was once in love with a man, Target will not carry “Channel Orange.” The retailer cited the album’s early iTunes release as the reason behind its about face.

Buzz surrounding Target’s move not to offer the album in its stores initially focused on whether the decision had anything to do with Ocean’s revelation about his same sex love.

The retail giant has since defended its decision not to sell “Channel Orange,” telling CNN: “The claims made about Target’s decision to not carry the Frank Ocean album are absolutely false. Target supports inclusivity and diversity in every aspect of our business. Our assortment decisions are based on a number of factors, including guest demand.”

The Target rep continued: “Target has a longstanding tradition of supporting music and artistry that reflects the diverse landscape of American culture. Our history of partnering with diverse artists includes recent partnerships with a variety of musicians.”

On Tuesday, Ocean’s manager Christian Clancy backtracked on a now deleted tweet suggesting the retailer had other motivations, tweeting, “I apologize for my comments about Target. They are not carrying Franks album because it went digital first. Not for ANY other reason.”

As for Ocean, he offered his own analysis and tweeted “album won’t be available at target. blame it on a generational gap. best buy on deck though.”